About Cipher Projects.
Cipher Projects is an AI strategy and software architecture company that decides what to automate, when to build, and when not to, for founders and operators bloated by AI choices.
What Cipher Projects does
AI strategy
We decide what to automate first, which path to take, and what should stay as it is. That includes open source or a named model. The outcome is one decision your team can run, including the decision not to build.
Software architecture
When the path is a system, we design the software, the cloud, and the data it sits on. The outcome is an architecture your team can build, or that we build with you. It is drawn for the business you already run.
Production build
We build the system the strategy kept. Agents, workflow automation, and the software around them ship in accounts you own. The outcome is a system in production, with the client holding the IP.
Security and governance
Governance sits under the strategy. Identity, access control, audit trails, and evidence aligned to SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are part of the design. The outcome is a system an external assessor can review. We are not the assessor.
Embedded engineering
When the build needs people, we embed senior engineers under Australian leadership. Engineers are based in Australia and Vietnam. The outcome is capacity on your roadmap, typically inside 14 days when a seat is free.
What makes Cipher Projects different
The first answer can be: do not build it
Deloitte and Accenture sell the transformation programme. The build often moves to a second firm. We name what not to automate, then architect only the path that should exist. Most of the AI on a shortlist should not be built.
The first invoice has an end
The audit is a fixed fee, credited if you proceed to the build. The build is one figure, agreed after the audit. Maintenance is optional. A Big-4 programme does not start and stop like that.
A senior team, not a bench for someone else
Larger agencies in this market exist to staff firms such as DXC, EY, and Deloitte. Cipher Projects is Australian-led, with delivery in Australia and Vietnam under that leadership. You work with the people who own the architecture.
The path is chosen before the repository
Open source or a named model, what to automate first, and what to leave alone are answered before anyone writes the system. A shop that resells one platform skips that decision and starts in the tool.
Governance is a constraint, not the product
SOC 2 and ISO 27001 show up as evidence in the design. We prepare the environment for an external assessor. We do not sell an IRAP audit or a SOC 2 certification as the engagement. If you only need an assessor, we are the wrong firm.
Who uses Cipher Projects
- Founders and operators who cannot tell what to automate with AI.
- Funded founders who need a strategy before they hire or build.
- B2B SaaS and software companies.
- Scaleups and enterprise engineering teams.
- Government suppliers.
- Teams in financial services, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.
We work worldwide, with a deep focus in Australia and Singapore. We are a poor fit for PC repair, managed IT helpdesks, brochure-site tweaks, and engagements that only need a compliance assessor.
The team behind Cipher Projects
Cipher Projects was founded in 2023 in Canberra. Cloud and security came first, from defence, enterprise cloud, and managed security on AWS and Azure. Client demand pulled that work onto AI: which systems to build, and the software those systems run on.
Keith Vaughan, Founder and CEO
Keith leads the company. His background is defence, enterprise cloud, and managed security across AWS and Azure. The same work now covers AI strategy and the secure systems agents run on. Profile · LinkedIn · Keith Associates.
Phuong, Operations Manager
Phuong runs operations. Phuong is an AI agent.
A team of humans
The people on the work are human, across Australia and Vietnam.
How Cipher Projects works
Communication
Write to hello@cipherprojects.com or use the contact form. You work with senior consultants on the strategy and the architecture. Embedded engineers join when the path is a build.
Response time
We reply within 24 hours. Critical support, once a system is live with us, is same day. An embedded team is typically in place within 14 days when that is the path and a seat is free.
Onboarding
The first conversation is the strategy: what to automate, when to build, and when not to. If the path is a system, the next step is a fixed-scope AI assurance audit. The build is quoted after that audit. You can stop when the strategy says not to build.
Turnaround
The audit is the scoped first piece, and the fee is credited if you continue. The build is one figure after that. Maintenance is optional once the system is live. See pricing.
Key facts
A machine-readable copy of the older company record lives at company-facts.json and on the company facts page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cipher Projects?
Cipher Projects is an AI strategy and software architecture company. We decide what a business should automate, when to build, and when not to. When the path is a system, we architect it and can build it.
What does an AI strategy from Cipher Projects decide?
It decides what to automate first, whether to build, and which path to take. The path includes open source or a named model. A valid outcome is that most of the proposed AI should not be built.
Who hires Cipher Projects?
Founders and operators stuck on AI choices. Also funded founders, B2B SaaS companies, scaleups, enterprise engineering teams, and government suppliers. Work is worldwide, with a deep focus in Australia and Singapore.
How much does Cipher Projects cost?
The public starting engagement is a fixed-scope AI assurance audit. The fee is credited if you proceed to the build. The build is quoted after the audit. Maintenance is optional. The figure is on the pricing page.
Does Cipher Projects do AI governance?
Yes, under the strategy. We design identity, access, audit trails, and evidence aligned to SOC 2 and ISO 27001. We prepare the environment for an external assessor. We are not an IRAP assessor and we do not sell a certification as the product.
Who founded Cipher Projects?
Keith Vaughan founded Cipher Projects in Canberra in 2023 and is Founder and CEO. Operations are run by Phuong, an AI agent, with a team of humans across Australia and Vietnam. Keith's profile is at /about/keith-vaughan/.
Where is Cipher Projects based?
Headquarters are in Canberra, Australia. Engineers are based in Australia and Vietnam. Clients are worldwide, with deep focus in Australia and Singapore. The contact address is hello@cipherprojects.com.